Elevator-controlling device



C. F. QUICK.

ELEVATOR CONTROLLING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.14, 1921.

. 1 40 4 9 Patented Feb.14, 1922.

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UNITED STATES CHARLES F. QUICK, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

ELEVATOR-G ONTRO LLING DEVICE.

Application filed January 14, 1921.

2'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. QUICK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, inthe county of Dallas and of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevator-Controlling Devices, of which the following is a specification. 1 g

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in elevator controlling devices.

The invention has particularly to do with means for automatically locking the doors at the elevator landings and requiring the operator to stop the car within a predeter mined distance from the landing, before the door may be released and opened. The invention further has to do with certain improvements on the invention covered by my application filed September 15, 1920, Serial No. 410,496, which improvements co-operate with the door locking means.

An important advantage of the invention is the provision of door locking and releasing means which may bereadily applied to elevator doors and elevator car, and which will involve a few number of working parts, thus making for simplicity and eflL ciency and reducing to a minimum the chance of inoperation. Another feature is the arrangement whereby the door cannot be opened except a few inches without breaking the circuit and stopping the car. A still further object is to provioe an emergency lock which will lock the door if it is left unlocked in the usual manner and prevent further opening of the door beyond the point which would make an opening large enough to admit the arm, foot or limb of a person.

A. construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood from a readingof the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

. Fig. 1 is a partial elevation of an elevator door and car, the door being open and a device constructed in accordance with my invention being mounted on top of the elevator ear with the trip member in its open position wherebyltlle circuit is broken.

Specification of Letters Patent.

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Patented Feb. 14, 1922. Serial No. 437,290. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same,

Fig. 3 is a detail showing the sprizg finger caried by the operating yoke,

Fig. 4 is a view showing the controlling device in vertical section and indicating the circuit connection with the elevator ear,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of an elevator car and door showing the door latched and the trip member in its closed position whereby the circuit is closed,

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the latch tripping member carried by the elevator car,

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the latch and a portion of the tripping member, and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail of the switch device.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a switch or controlling box which has its front side open. The box is supported between upright brackets 11 having its sides attached thereto by screws 12 passing through holes 13 in said brackets. The holes 18 are arranged at intervals whereby the box may be supported at different elevations. The brackets each have an out wardly directed foot 11 by which they are secured to the top of an elevator car A by screws 14. In the front open side of the box a door or switch member 15 is mounted along one side by a hingle 16 so as to swing outwardly. The box is disposed at such an angle that the door when swung outward to a certain point'willcon tinue to swing to its full open position and when swung in the opposite direction, will after passing a certain point continue to swing to a closed position without the assistance of a moving element. This angular disposition is accomplished by the angularity of the brackets as well as the angle at which the box is mounted in the brackets as will be clearly seen from observation of Figs. 1, 2 and 5, in particular.

The swinging of the door is controlled by two elements, one of which is an operating element or bar 17 mounted on the elevator door B. The door B is not carried by the car A, but is mounted in the elevator shaft at the floor landing, there being a door at each landing. The bar 17 is arranged to project upwardly of the door and is disposed at the edge of the door near thecenter of the car,which edge is usually not exposed by the opening or doorway in the car which is generally less in width than the elevator door. It is customary to make the front of elevator cars with a doorway and a closed panel. By arranging the bar 17 at the inner edge of the door it will be covered by the panel when the elevator car passes the same. On the face of the door 15 and near its lower end a yoke 18 is mounted. The door 15 is mounted at the front face of the box 10, and is movable into and out of this box. The box is mounted so that whenthe elevator car travels up and down the shaft the bar 17 will be re ceived within the yoke 18, and the bar has suflicient length to remain within said yoke when the car is stopped at the floor landing or either a few inches above orbelow said landing. When the door is slid to open the same the bar 17 engages one of the sides of the yoke which will swing the door 15 open.

The other element which contributes to the operation or swinging of the door is a counter'balaneing weight 19 eccentrically mounted on a screw threaded stud 20 extending outwardly from the upper portion of the door. It is pointed out that after the door has been-swung outwardly or opened. to a predetermined point, the weight will continue the swinging of the door, thus permitting the bar 17' to pass onward until the door B of the elevator is fully opened. By adjusting the weight 19 inwardly or outwardly, the point at which it begins to swing the door may be regulated. An arm 21' mounted on the side of the box is engaged by the yoke 18 to support the door 15 when,

the same has been fully opened. The stop arm 21 holds the parts so that when the elevator door B is closed it will pass-the near side of the yoke 18, but engage the opposite side or leg and thus swing the door 15 to closethe same. After the door 15 has been swung to a certain position it will be overbalanced by the weight 19, which will continue the swinging movement and thus close the door 15.

ithin the box 10 I mount terminal sockets 22 which are suital' ly connected with the controlling means of the elevator car as incheated in Fig. 4, the details of such connection being considered unnecessary as it.

is very necessaryto connect the main circuit of the elevator in series with the terminals 22. Each terminal 22 has secured therein a eontact'23 which may be of carbon or any other suitable material. ()n the inner side of the door 15 a contact plate 24 is disposed and is carried on a bar 25 of insulating ma- ,terial. through a hole in the door 15, and carries The bar 25 has a stem'26' passing anut 27 on its outer end which limits the inward -'displace1nent of said bar. Spring guides 28 are seated in the inner face of the door and are attached to the bar 25 so as to force the plate 24 into close contact with thecontact 23 when the door 15 is closed as will be obvious. It will be seen that when the door 1.5 is c'losed'the main circuit of the elevator is closed and when said door 15 is opened said circuit will be broken or opened. In case the elevator door B should be opened by some one on the landing, the bar 17 might strike the yoke 18 whenthe elevator car was passing up or down. By observing the drawings, it will be seen that when the door 15 is closed only the left hand side of the yoke is in the path of the bar 17 and on this side of the yoke I provide a finger 29 which is pivoted and held by a spring 30 so that it is free to swing upwardly or downwardly and will be returned to its normal position by its spring as will be obvious. If by some manipulation the door 15 of the box should be closed and the door B still remain open, upon attempting to close the door B the bar 17 would strike against the side of the finger 29. In order that the door B may be fully closed and no harm done under such condition I provide a. hinged joint 31 inthe bottom of the yoke as is illustrated in detail in Fig. 8. I arrange a coiled spring 32 in the yoke with oneend carried by a stud 32 projecting ,from the fixed leg of the yoke and the other end supported on a curved stop 32 extending'through the left hand leg of the yoke. The hinged joint is arranged so that the left hand side of the yoke can swing only to the right and cannot swing to the left; thus when the finger 29 is'enga-ged by the bar 17 in opening the elevator door B, the left hand side of the yoke will not swing on its hinge joint 31, but will only swing when the elevator door is moved to the right and engages the finger from its left hand side as will be obvious.

While all. elevator doors are provided with some character of latch. doors are so frequently left unlatched that numerous accidents have occurred and in many cities ordinances have been passed requiring elevator doors to be equipped with locking means controlled by the car andoperatable to release the door only when the elevator car is stopped within a certain zone, whereby the floor of the car will be within a few inches of the floor landing. My invention includes such a latch or locking means and also an emergency lock which acts to 'fasten the door in case the operator fails to fully close the same. .At the top of each elevator door B and at its forward end I provide a latch hook 33 which projects slightly beyond the front edge of the door and which is made integral with a keeper 34. On the wall of the elevator shaft I pivotally mount .a latch 35 which has an angular construction. The latch is arranged in each case to overhang the parts 33 and 34 andto engage either'ef the same. When the door is fully closed the latch will engage the keeper 3 1, thus fastening the door in its closed position.

Should the operator fail to entirely close the door so that the latch would not engage behind the keeper 34-, it will be seen that the latch would drop between said keeper and the hook which latter would engage the latch should some one attempt to further open the door. The parts may be so located that the hook 33 would limit the opening of the door to one or two inches. The switch member is so located that when the door is closed the bar 17 will be positioned relatively within the yoke 18.

The elevator car carries a bracket 36 which is fastened to the side thereof and supports a short shoe 37 which acts asa tripping member. This shoe is positioned to engage a roller 38 mounted on the lower end of each latch 35. The ends 37 of the shoe are bent outwardly or away from the roller 38 so that the shoe will readily ride into contact with the roller as will be obvious. Vhen the shoe contacts with the roller 38, its latch 35 is swung so as to be raised from engagement with the keeper 341- or hook 33. raised the door B cannot be opened, and therefore by making the shoe comparatively short in length the operator will be required to bring the car within a certain zone in order to engage the shoe with the roller. By giving the working space of the shoe a length of say six inches and properly position the bracket on the elevator car, the operator would be required to stop his car so that its floor would be within three inches below or three inches above the surface of the floor at the landing. The length of this zone could, of course, be reduced by reducing the length of the working space and of the shoe. It will be seen that the latching means is simple and positive. It is further pointed outthat the latching means is located so as to be out of the way and not likely to catch ing in the car.

In opening the door the operator slides the same to the left, whereby the bar 17 engages the finger 29 of the yoke '18 and swings the door 15 of the box 10 outwardly thus opening the same. hen the door 15 is swung outwardly the contact plate 2 1 is withdrawn from the contacts 23 and the main circuit is thus broken. The bar 17 swings the door 15 upwardly until it is over-balanced by the weight 19 which continues the outward swing of the door 15 until the latter comes to rest by the engagement of the yoke with the arm 21. When the parts have reached this position the finger 29 is withdrawn from the path of the bar 17 so that further opening of the door may be con inued fre y,

garments of passengers rid- Until the latch has been fully- \Vith the main circuit broken the elevator car cannot be started until the door is closed. To close the door B the operator moves the same to the right. As the door approaches its closing position the hook 33 passes under the latch 35 and when the door is closed the keeper 34 is in position to receive the latch. The latch 35 does not fall or swing downward until the car moves so as to carry the shoe 37 off of the roller 38. When the operator closes the door B by moving the same to the right, the bar 17 is carried into the yoke 18 so as to engage the right hand member thereof and thus swing the door 15 to close the same; however the parts are so arranged that the door 15 will not be overbalanced and swing to its closed position until after the hook 33 has passed under the latch 35 and the door is within an inch or so of its fully closed position. The timing of the closing of the door 15 is controlled by the adjustment of the weight 19. The yoke must be swung to a certain point before it overcomes the influence of the weight to hold the door in an open position. After the door passes this point it will, of course, continue to swing to its closed position.

It will be seen that if the operator fails to entirely close the door the circuit cannot be closed or the car moved unless the emergency hook 33 is under the latch 35. Thus should the car be moved with the latch resting between the parts 33 and 34.- of the landing'at which the car has been stopped, any attempt to open the door B would be flustrated by the engagement of the hook 33 with the latch 35 which would confine the opening of the door to an inchor so and not sufliciently to permit a permit a person to protrude any portion of his body into the elevator shaft. .This makes for absolute safety because the car could not be started if the book 33 was not under the latch 35,.because to open the door further than this point would swing the door 15 and break the main circuit. In order that the bar 17 will properly enter the yoke 13 when. the door B is partially open and the latch 35 in engagement'with the hook 33. the upper and'lower ends 1'? of said bar are bent to the right, and the ex remities are curved so as not to catch on any of the working parts.

lVhat I claim, is:

1. In a safety system for elevators, a circuit closing member adapted to be pivotally mounted upon an elevator car and having its axis of turning movement inclined whereby the member will automatically continue its turning movement in the same direction when being swung past dead center, means including an element adapted to be.

mounted upon a landing door to effect the a latch element secured to the landing door and having a pair of spaced locking portions, a movable coacting latch element having an engaging end to engage with said holding portions, and a shoe carried by the elevator car and adapted to move the latch element so that its engaging end will clear said locking portions, the circuit closing' ment mounted upon the landing door to turn.

said member past dead center, a latchelement secured to the landing door and havlng a locking extension, a coacting movable latch element having an engaging end to engage and disengage the locking extension, and a shoe carried by the elevator car to move the coacting latch element so that its engaging end disengagesthe locking extension, the elements being so adjusted that the locking extension remainsbehind the holding end of the coacting latch element until the circuit closing member has'been swung past its dead center and will autonratically continue to complete its closing movement.

Inan apparatus of the character described, an elevator, a circuit associated therewith, a landing door, means for open ing and closing the circuit including a member pivotally mounted upon the car and having its axis of turning movement inclined, a rod connected with the member and extending laterally therefrom, a weight adjustably mounted upon the rod, means including an element mounted upon the landing door to effect the movement of said member, a latch element secured to the landing door and having'a lOCkGXiEGIlSlOIl, a pivoted coactlng latch elen'i'enthavlng a holding end to engage and disengage the lock extensiomand a shoe carried by the elevator car and adapted to swing the coacting latch clement upon its pivotto move the holding element out of engagement with the lock extension, the weight being so adjustedupon the rod that the circuit closing member is swung past its dead center while the lock extension remains behind the holding end ofthe pivoted latch.

4;. In an apparatus of the character clescribed, an elevator car, a circuit associated therewith, a landing door, means for openlng and closing the circuit including a member pivotally mounted upon the car and having its axis of turning movement inclined from theperpendicular, a weight carried by the circuit closing member and adjustable laterally with relation thereto, means including an element mounted upon the landing door to effect the movement of said member, a latch .carried by the landingdoor and embodying a pair of spaced teeth, one tooth beingadapted to function for holding the door completely closed and the other tooth to hold the door partly closed, a gravity operated pivot latch having a tooth arranged to engage either of the first named teeth, and a shoe carried by the car and adapted to swing the'pivoted latch upwardly, said weight being adapted to be so adjusted with relation to the pivoted circuit closing member-that the circuit closing member will be swung past its dead center while the tooth of the pivoted latch remains between the teeth of thelatch and carried by the landing door.

5. In an apparatus of the character'described, as a subcombination, a shifting fork embodying an arm, a stud carried upon the inner side of the arm, a coacting a-rmarranged uponone side of the first named arm and hinged to swing toward the firstnamed arm, the coacting armhaving an opening formed" therein, a curved rod passing through the opening in the 'coacting arm andextending upon the inner side thereof, and a compressible coil spring arranged between the arms with one end mounted upon the' stud and the other end mounted upon said rod. V v a In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES F. QUICK. 

